After profusely apologizing, I called in a favor from Riley and Zeke, asking them to talk to both reporters about their summer together and how this year is different playing not only as teammates, but as a couple. They were hot news in college football, had been ever since they made Twitter meltdown after the bowl win last year by making out on the field.

Fortunately for me, they were in a happy mood and both very well-spoken on camera.

I smiled and gave them a thumbs up as I listened behind the camera operator, all the while burning holes into Clay’s back as he stomped toward the locker room like a child.

When the interview was over, Riley thanked the reporters with me before pulling me to the side. Her long, chestnut hair was lined with golden streaks bleached from playing in the sun. She pulled it up into a high, tight ponytail, accepting a kiss on the cheek from Zeke and waiting until he was out of ear shot before she spoke.

“A word of advice,” she said, lowering her voice as she looked around to make sure no one was listening. “Might want to lay off Johnson for a while. Him and Maliyah just broke up.”

I blanched. “What?!”

It was useless trying to keep the shock from my face. I didn’t know Clay well, but I didn’t have to to know that his high school sweetheart meant everything to him. He toted her around here every time she visited our campus last season, and I distinctly remembered having a hard time peeling him off her for an interview after our second home game win. He posted about her all the time on his Instagram, and the captions were always very clear about how he felt.

He was going to marry her.

But now, they were nothing.

Riley just nodded, brows bending together. “I know. Poor kid was talking to Zeke last semester about how he thought she was the one.” She sighed, both of us watching Clay disappear into the stadium hall that led to the locker room. “He’s been a mess.”

My shoulders slumped. “I knew something had to have happened. He was always so happy last season, so… full of life.”

“Well, I don’t see him being that way for a while.” Riley swallowed, still looking where Clay had vanished. “They were high school sweethearts.”

I sighed, wishing I could find some empathy. I had never dated anyone, let alone been in love, and so the only thing I found simmering in my chest toward Clay in that moment was a distant sort of sympathy.

And a little frustration that I’d have to deal with the fallout.

“I’m going to have to set up a training with him,” I said. “He’ll still have to talk to the media, and Coach will have his ass and mine if he pulls something like that again.”